WHEREAS, the autonomy of the constitutional bodies in terms not only of their fiscal resources but also of their internal administration must be recognized;

WHEREAS, the Chief Justice and Associate Justices of the Supreme Court have been exempted from the provisions of Executive Order No. 6, as amended, and the Supreme Court has internal guidelines on the travels abroad of the Members of the Judiciary and the court employees;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, CORAZON C. AQUINO, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby order:

SECTION 1. The Chairmen and the Commissioners of the Civil Service Commission, Commission on Elections and Commission on Audit, the Chairman and Members of the Commission on Human Rights and the Ombudsman and the Deputy Ombudsmen of the Office of the Ombudsman are hereby exempted from the provisions of Executive Order No. 6, as amended, requiring them to secure the prior approval of the Office of the President in connection with their travels abroad,

SEC. 2. These constitutional bodies shall promulgate guidelines on travels abroad for their members, officials and employees.

SEC. 3. The members, officials and employees of the aforementioned constitutional bodies shall henceforth submit their requests for permission to travel abroad to the heads of the Commissions/Office concerned.

SEC. 4. This Executive Order shall take effect immediately.

DONE in the City of Manila, this 21st day of August, in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and ninety-one.

By the President:

(Sgd.) FRANKLIN M. DRILON
Executive Secretary